Lions, Tigers and Bears! Oh my!

The bus ride from Sihanoukville to Ho Chi Minh city was the longest one that we have been on yet. We left Cambodia at 8am and did not arrive at our hotel in HCMC until 9pm. We may have been able to shed an hour off that time but we had a small complication when we got to the Cambodia-Vietnam border. Our passports and visas checked out just fine but when the health officials boarded the bus to check for swine flu symptoms one of the passengers on the bus had a fever. This caused a chain reaction of officials getting on the bus, then off, then back on, then the traveller with the fever got off, then back on with a mask. After about an hour of being held up and not being allowed to get off the bus we were on our way.

The bus pulled up in Ho Chi Minh city and since we had done a little research before we showed up, we found our hotel just a block away from where the bus dropped us off. The Elios Hotel is gorgeous and we have completely enjoyed our stay here so far. Free breakfast at the rooftop restaurant is very tasty and the view from the outdoor terrace is amazing. There is a great park across the street from the hotel. After dinner the park is a hive of activity. Vietnamese people use the park for large aerobic sessions, walking, stretching, and all types of exercising.

Our second full day in Ho Chi Minh was spent at the Saigon Zoo which is one of the oldest zoos in the world. It was built in 1865 and was much better than we had anticipated. There were lions and tigers and bears! Also, hippos and pygmy hippos, rhinos, crocodiles, and giant squirrels. Our favorite by far were the Asian leopard cats. These are the cats that form the wild percentage of our cat at home, a Bengal named Naji. I could have stayed and watched them all day. Their mannerisms were so similar to our cat that it was like being with her for a little bit.

After the zoo we hopped in a cab and headed back to the hotel so that we coud find a nice place for dinner. I must add that the cabs and the cab drivers here have been phenomenal! They always put the meter on and the prices are very reasonable. Many of them don't speak any English but our hotel staff have been very helpful translating which was required yesterday when we tried to get to the Independance Palace.

Going to the Independance Palace was like going back in time to the 70's. They have left the palace in much the same condition that it was in when tanks broke down the gates and ended the war in 1975. There was a replica of that tank in front as well as an american plane and helicopter. The highlight for me was the basement which housed the command center and radio equipment. The presidents office and reception room on the second floor were also magnificent. There was also a gambling room with a round sofa, mahjong table and barrel bar and a private movie theater.

Our next stop in Vietnam is Hue (which we have mispronouced many times to the travel agents amusement) and we will be travelling there by train on Tuesday. It is about a 20 hour train ride and we have soft sleeper seats booked. I'm so excited, I've got dibs on the top bunk!

Want to see more photos of HCMC? Click here!